Heater arrangement



mg 14,1945, E E HANS 3 HEATER ARRANGE ENTS Flle De 51, 1942 S'Sheets-Shet 1 L INVENTOR.

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Aug, 14, E945. Ev E. HANS HEATER ARRANGEMENTS F led Den 3]. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

fdmvna' 5 H na Aug. E E. HANS HEATER ARRANGEMENTS Flled Dec. 31, 1942 3 Sheets Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,382,712 i v HEATER ARRANGE ENT Edmund E. Hans,'Detroit, Mich.

Application December 31, 1942, Serial No. 470,782

6 Claims.

invention relates to improvements in heating arrangements, and refers particularly to heating arrangements for larger vehicles such .as buses, coaches and the like.

The invention aims, among other things, to provide a heating arrangement including a single heater unit by which the entire interior of a bus or other larger vehicle body may be adequately heated. At the present time it is 'particularly desirable to do this on account of the critical shortage of materials, though obviously such an arrangement commends itself at any time since it obviates the necessity for duplicatin'g heater cores and other parts and simplifies and cheapens the entire installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a heating arrangement including a casing of substantial length mounted immediately beneath the floor of a vehicle at one side thereof and an inlet for the downward flow of air therein extending along the entire length of the casing; and wherein the top of the inlet is connected by a floor opening with an air conduit extending for some distance along one side of the vehicle between its inner and outer walls so that air entering throughopenings in the latter may flow downward in the conduit through the floor opening and the said inlet to the bottom of the casing whence it is upwardly discharged through a horizontal heater core. Inlthis manner an air stream of large cross sectional area reaches the heater core. so that ample air may be discharged through the latter by the blower means.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a heater arrangement wherein a heater core is arranged horizontally intermediately of the height o'f the casing and a discharge chamber is provided above the core the sides of which are spaced from the outer casing sides so that the chamber is insulated from outside, and thus heated air flowing therethrough is protected from chilling by the outside air.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a heater arrangement including a single, air duct extending along the vehicle floor adjacent. the inner wall and directly over the discharge chamber upwardly from which air flows into the duct through a floor opening; and wherein the duct has spaced transverse dividing walls therein over the floor opening so that air from the chamber.v flows in separate streams from the latter in opposite directions through the duct, and also through an outlet pipe projecting laterally from the duct between the transverse walls. This duct construct-10min .ef-

fect doubles its cross sectional capacity, and, in

- addit o i e a t rd a pass e th ou h in section, showing the invention therein.

Figures 2 and .3 are enlarged sections on the lines 2'.2 and 33 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 44 of F gur 2. I

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the heater casing, and

Figure 6 is a section 'on the line 6-6 of Figu e 5.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a bus of conventional construction including a floor 2 which extends toan outer wall ,3, and projecting upwardly from the floor is an inner wall 4 spaced m. the ut r wall by bracinsme b rs or bars5. I j

ounted long tudin l y t th nde s d of the floor .3 beneath the inner wall 4 is a'substantially U-shaped casing 6 the longitudinal extremities of which are upwardly and outwardly inclined. Extending intermediately of the length of the casing 6 within'the latter and'parallel with its outer side 6b is a. partition 1 which projects somewhat above the top of the casing and has its lower margin spaced above the casing bottom. Mounted horizontally between the partition 'l and the inner side 60; of the casing is a heater core :8, and 9 denote s end walls which project upwardly from the ends of the heater core to the underside of the floor 2 and extend from the partition I to the inner side 6a of the casing. Between the inner side 6a and the heater core 8 a deflector plate II] is mounted which is upwardly inclined'towards the partition 1 and has its upper longitudinal extremity secured to the floor '2 adjacent one longitudinal margin of a floor opening 2a into which the upper margin of the partition 1 projects.- The partition 7, the end walls 9 and the deflector plate l0 together form a discharge chamber ll extending from the heater core 8 to the floor opening 2a, into which air is delivered from beneath the core by suitable blower means such bers 5. These passages [6 into which the louvers:

open together constitute an air conduit connected at its lower extremity through the fioor opening 2b to the inlet I! which extends downwardly in the casing between its outer side 6b and the partition I, and at the casing extremities beyond the end walls 9 across the entirev width of the casing. It will also be noted that end passages I6a are located beyond the ends of the casing 6 and to'provide for a fiow of air from them into the casing inlet H the bracing members 5a defining their inner sides are horizontally apertured as shown at 51) to permit air to fiow laterally into the passages I6. By utilizing a number of the passages I6 and extending the inlet I! along -the entire length of the casing 6, and at the-extremities of the latter across "its full width, ample cross sectional area is provided for air to flow down to the blower means or fans I3 beneath the heater core 8. Moreover'the downward and inward inclination of the bottom of the casing also facilitates the flow of air to the said blower means.

Provided upon' the fioor 2 intermediately of its length and along one side thereof is an air duct I8 which extends over the casing 6 and usually projects in both directions beyond the ends of the latter. The underside of the duct I8 is apertured'over the discharge chamber II forthe 'entire length of the latter, and the chamber and duct are in communication through the floor opening 2a so that air may fiow freely from the former into the latter. In the present instance the duct I8 consists of an angle member I9 having its lower inner margin secured to the floor 2 and its upper outer margin secured to the inner wall 4, thereby defining the duct between I the sides of the angle member, a portion of the fioor 2 through which the opening 2a is formed, and a portion of the inner wall 4. The inner vertical side of the duct I8, that is the vertical side of the angle member I9, may be provided inte'rmediately of its length with suitable apertures to permit the escape of air therefrom into the body of the bus, and at'its extremities is provided with suitable outlets 2|. Extending across the duct I8 over the discharge chamber II are two spaced transverse walls 22 dividing the said duct into a plurality of sections so that air fiows in separate streams directly from the chamber II towards the two outlets 2|. Extending from that portion of the duct I8 defined between the transverse walls 22 is an outlet pipe 23 open at its outer extremity through which a third steam of air passes directly from the chamber II. Thus the cross sectional area of the outlets in direct communication with the discharge chamber II is twice the area of the duct plus the area of the pipe 23, and in this way a free and ample discharge of heated air into the body of the vehicle is obtained. For in such ,vehicles as those herein contemplated there is opening 2b and the casing inlet I'I into the bottom of the casing 6 whence the air is delivered by the fans I3 through the heater core 8 and .the discharge chamber I I into the duct I8. It

will also be noted that the sides of the discharge chamber II, defined by the partition 1, the defiector plate I0, and the end walls 9, are all spaced from the outer sides of the casing 6 so that the chamber sides are insulated and in this manner heated air flowing upward through the chamber is protected against any chilling effect the outer air might have upon the outer sides of the casing. The fioor 2 is so cut that the floor opening 2b extends the full length of the casing 6 whereas the opening 2a is shorter and extends only for the length of the discharge chamber I I, it has also already been noted that these two openings are separated by the partition I which projects above the top of the casing 5.

Opposed plates 24 upwardly curved from the outer sides of the transverse walls 22 are herein employed for deflecting air risingfrom the chamber II in the direction of the duct outlets ZI; and 25 is a corresponding plate between the transverse walls 22 and is forwardly curved from the outer side of the duct towards the outer extremity of the outlet pipe 23. 26 and 2! denote an inlet and an outlet pipe respectively extend ing from suitable water connections associated with a conventional water cooled motor indicated at 28 and the heater core 8. Seats in the vehicle are indicated at 29.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown it is understood that the construction is susceptible to any alterations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: a

l. A heater arrangement including a casing open at the top and closed at the bottom, a vertical partition extending longitudinally in the'casing spaced from one side thereof and forming an inlet for a downward flow of air between it and said side, said partition terminating above the bottom of the casing, a horizontal heater core extending between the partition andthe opposite side of the casing, end walls spaced from the easing ends projecting upwardly from the ends of the heater core and extending from the partition to said opposite side, a deflector plate having its lower margin mounted between the core and said opposite casing side and being upwardly flexed towards the partition, said partition, plate and end walls defining a discharge chamber over the heater core and having an outlet extending between the partition and said plate, the sides of said chamber above the heater core being spaced from the outer walls of said casing thereby insulating said chamber from outside air, and means for discharging air upwardly through the core and chamber.

2. A heater arrangement including a casing of greater length than width closedon its underside,

a vertical partition extending from above the bottom of the casing through the floor aperture and dividing the latter into two longitudinal portions, said partition extending intermediately of the length of the casing adjacentbut spaced from one side thereof, a horizontal heater core extending from substantially the bottom of the partition to the opposite side of the casing, end walls spaced from the walls of the casing and projecting upwardly from the heater core ends to said floor and extending from the partition to said opposite side whereby a chamber is circumscribed by said partition, end walls and said opposite side, the bottom of. the casing extending beneath the heater core and being horizontal, the ends of the casing being downwardly and inwardly inclined to said bottom, the floor aperture on one side of the partition extending throughout the length of the casing for air to flow downward therethrough between the partition and the adjacent casing side and in the ends of the casing beyond said end walls, some of sai air being diverted toward the center of the casing by said inclined ends, the floor aperture on the other side of the partition extending over the chamber throughout its length, and means for discharging air upwardly through the heater core and chamber and through the latter aperture.

3. In a heater arrangement, the combination of a casing open at the top of greater length than width, a vertical partition in the casing extending downwardly from the top toward the bottom intermediately of the casing length and adjacent but spaced from one side thereof, a horizontal heater core extending between said partition and the opposite side of the casing, end walls extending upwardly from the ends of the heater core to the top of the casing and from the partition to the other casing side whereby a chamber is circumscribed by said end walls, said partition and said other side, apertured covering means extending over the casing having an opening therethrough into the space defined between the partition and the adjacent casing side and continuing to the ends of the casing for air to ilow downwardly therethrough to the casing bottom, another opening through the covering means above the chamber extending the length of the latter, a'

duct open on its underside to register with the latter opening and having discharge outlets at its extremities, two spaced walls extending across the duct over said latter opening, an outlet pipe projecting laterally from the duct between said transverse walls, and means for discharging air from the bottom of the casing upwardly through the heater core and chamber into the duct and through the discharge outlets and throughsaid outlet pipe.

4. In a heater arrangement including a vehicle having spaced outer and inner walls, a floor extending from the outer wall upon which the inner wall is supported, a casing of greater length than width dependingly mounted beneath said floor having its outer side parallel and adjacent said outer wall, a vertical partition in the casing adjacent and spaced from said outer side extending upwardly through an opening formed in the floor and connected to and parallel with said inner wall, the outer wall being connected to the outer side of the casing whereby a downward passage is' provided between the walls a continuation of of the length of the casing and being spaced above the bottom of the latter, a heater core extending between the partition adjacent its underside and the inner side of the casing, end walls extending from the heater core to the fioOr and from the partition to the inner side of the casing whereby a chamber is defined by said partition, end walls and inner casing side, the downward passage between the inner and outer walls being also in communication with the interior of the casing outwardly of the end Walls, at least one of the walls above the floor being provided with air inlets whereby air may flow down into the bottom of the casing throughout its length through said passage, a duct extending longitudinally over the chamber, the'latter throughout its length being in communication with said duct through an opening formed in the floor, and means for discharging air upwardly in the casing throughthe heater core and chamber and discharging it through said duct.

5. A heater arrangement including a substantially U-shaped casing of substantial length, a

vertical partition extending intermediately of thelength of the casingand terminating toward the bottom thereof and spaced from the casing to form an inlet for a downward flow of air between said partition and one side of the casing to the bottom of the latter, a horizontal heater core through which air flows upwardly extending between the partition and the opposite casing wall, end walls projecting upwardly from the ends of the core and spaced from the sides of the casing and projecting from the partition to the opposite casing side, the entire Width of the casing outwardly of the end walls forming additional air inlets for a downward flow of air to the underside of the core, means for discharging the air upwardly through the core, a duct provided with outlets extending longitudinally over the core and apertured along its underside for the full length of the core, and means in the duct over the core dividing said duct transversely into a plurality of sections directly into which separate streams of air flow from the core, said dividing means comprising two spaced walls extending transversely of the duct and an outlet pipe projecting from the duct between said walls through which a stream of air from said core also flows.

6. A heater including a casing of materially greater length than width, a vertical partition within the casing intermediately of its length, said partition being adjacent and spaced from one side of the casing and extending downwardly from the top of the latter partway to the bottom thereof, transverse walls in the casing extending through the same vertical height as said partition and connecting the latter at its ends with the other casing side to circumscribe a chamber, the ends of the casing being downwardly and inwardly inclined, an air inlet formed between the one casing side and said partition and beyond said partition to both ends of the casing from the top thereof, a heater core extending horizontally across the entire chamber, means for discharging air up-.

wardly through the heater core, and outlet means for heated air from the chamber extending along the full length thereof, in combination with an automobile body, one of the walls of which having a vertical air inlet passage longer than said casing and connected at its lower extremity to said air 

